L.A. firefighters are spread thin fighting major fires, but help is on the way
With firefighting resources spread thin across Los Angeles County, help from state, federal and out-of-state agencies is on the way, officials announced Wednesday.
The California National Guard as well as firefighters from Northern California and out of state are en route to Los Angeles, where resources and personnel are being taxed with several major fires burning.
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said Wednesday during an evening news conference that he had requested help from agencies in Oregon, New Mexico, Washington, Utah, as well as across California.
Five people have died, more than 2,000 structures have burned and at least 130,000 residents are under evacuation orders because of the wildfires burning across Los Angeles County. “We are absolutely not out of danger yet,” Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley said.
At an earlier news conference, Marrone had said what fire crews were facing was “not a normal red flag alert.”
“There are not enough firefighters in L.A. County to address four separate fires of this magnitude,” he said.
Three of the fires — the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst fires — started Tuesday. A fourth, the Woodley fire, started Wednesday about 6:15 a.m. near the Sepulveda Basin.
On Wednesday evening, a fire also broke out in the Hollywood Hills.
“Last night, I contacted the State Office of Emergency Services and requested 250 additional engine companies from Northern California, staffed with over 1,000 personnel,” Marrone said.
Los Angeles officials expect 10 firefighting units from New Mexico, 15 from Utah, and several from Arizona as well, he said.
On Wednesday, the Oregon state fire marshal confirmed in a statement the agency was sending 12 strike teams to Los Angeles County, which included 240 firefighters and 60 engines. The agency will consider sending even more resources if needed, the statement read.
Teams from Phoenix were also expected to make the trek to Los Angeles County.
Phoenix “has been called to help fight the devastating blazes in Los Angeles,” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego posted on X. “We’re still learning the details of what’s needed, and I expect our teams will be on the ground in LA in the next few days.”
The California National Guard has also been called to assist. Col. Brian Hill said 200 personnel were headed to Los Angeles.
They include hand crews trained by Cal Fire, ready to assist in firefighting efforts, he said.
Five people have died, more than 2,000 structures have burned and at least 130,000 residents are under evacuation orders because of the wildfires burning across Los Angeles County. “We are absolutely not out of danger yet,” Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley said.
Hill said that, if the weather cooperates, 10 helicopters will be ready to start making water and fire-retardant drops by Thursday.
The San Francisco Fire Department said in a post on the social media platform X that it was sending 22 firefighters to assist in the Palisades fire.
“We are always ready and available to assist our partnering agencies in events like this,” the agency wrote on X.
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office also announced in a statement that additional firefighters from Orange, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties and Cal Fire were being directed to Los Angeles, including 45 additional engines and six hand crews.
While the cause of each blaze has yet to be determined, all burned in or near foothill communities amid gusty winds and dry air and vegetation.
On the federal level, the Biden administration announced that five U.S. Forest Service air tankers were already operating in Los Angeles, and another was en route. Ten federal helicopters were already deployed to the area, and dozens of fire engines were being readied to be deployed if needed.
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